Rapid removal of a thrombus (i.e., blood clot) after ischemic stroke can greatly reduce the risk of the loss of brain function. Conventional treatment for removing the thrombus includes pharmacology and surgery. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a pharmaceutical, has been shown to help dissolve blood clots. Other drugs, including streptokinase and urokinase, have also been used. However, these drugs can take several hours to be effective.
Qualified specialists may use certain procedures in an effort to enhance the effectiveness of the tPA or to physically remove the thrombus. For example, the qualified specialists may use ultrasound, which enhances the efficacy of the therapy. The ultrasound can be applied either intravenously via laparoscopic catheterization or externally. The blood clot can also be mechanically removed using a system called Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia (MERCI®). But each of these approaches requires highly specialized training. Hospitals have limited resources, and therefore, may not have the financial means for the necessary training and staffing of qualified specialists. As a result, such qualified specialists may not be available at all hospitals.
In addition, even when the qualified specialists are available, several hours often lapse between the stroke and the start of such procedures—resulting in valuable time lost—ultimately to the detriment or even death of the patient. Consequently, a system for thrombolysis that could easily be applied by an emergency room physician or physician's assistant would improve treatment and potentially save lives.